Context: From November 29th-Dec 10th 2010, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 16th Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP 16) will meet in Cancún Mexico. As in Copenhagen at COP 15, religious groups and secular activists will be on hand offering creative demonstrations to emphasize the moral urgency of addressing climate change. From pulpits afar, religious leaders will also offer ambitious proclamations and prayers calling on the UN talks to live up to their promise.

We pray that the UN will live up to its own ideals and give the world what it needs: a just, democratic, ambitious, and binding climate agreement based on scientific data. Recognizing that this outcome is unlikely, some have called for “thousands of Cancúns” in support of both grassroots, community-based solutions and just policies to address the climate crisis.

In this spirit, The Rt. Rev. Naudal Gomes, Bishop of the Episcopal Anglican Diocese of Curitiba, Brazil and The Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California, USA, will assemble a parallel meeting from Dec 6-10, 2010 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The decision to meet in Dominican Republic will bear witness to a particular climate justice challenge: the vulnerability of small island nations.

Invitation: Recognizing that the Church calls on Anglicans around the world to be good stewards of God’s creation, +Naudal, +Marc, and delegations from Curitiba and California invite Episcopal/Anglican Communion partners from North, South, Central America, and the Caribbean to join this theological dialogue on “climate justice.”

Goals: The conference, grounded by common worship and shared spiritual practices, will focus a robust, theological dialogue around the theme of “climate justice,” asking: “What does justice and reconciliation look like for Anglicans in a North-South companion relationship, in the context of climate change?” Our activities will include:

Visiting and learning from communities living on the front lines of climate change, thereby seeking to bring visibility to their experience

Sharing stories of ecological degradation and hope from our own experience

Identify what concrete commitments might be made across the Church to address past and present ecological injustices, and discern those modes of ongoing and future collaboration to which we may be called

Sharing what we learn by drafting a statement to our respective provinces and the wider church

Logistics: Please contact the Rev. Joshua Griffin (email: griff[at]diocal[dot]org) to indicate your interest in attendance by October 15. Between 25-30 attendees are anticipated. A more detailed description of logistics, an agenda for meeting discussions, a draft itinerary for site visit(s), and a request for registration information is forthcoming. By the end of September more information will be available at: www.episcopalclimatejustice.org